The Streets of San Francisco (1972–1977): Season 1, Episode 1 - The Thirty-Year Pin - full transcript

( funky jazz theme playing )

ANNOUNCER: The
Streets of San Francisco.

A Quinn Martin Production.

Starring Karl Malden.

Also starring Michael Douglas.

With guest stars Edmond O'Brien,

Tim O'Connor...

David Opatoshu.

Special guest star,
Eileen Heckart.

Tonight's episode:

The Thirty-Year Pin



( funky theme playing )

( chatter )

( small classical
ensemble playing )

( speaking indistinctly )

( ominous theme playing )

( door creaks )

( gunshot )

( gasping )

Police.

Police!

Yeah. Thank you very much.

Why didn't you press him? Nah.

After all the favors
you done for him,

the least he could have done
was answer a few questions.



Well, maybe he didn't
have the answers.

He was waiting for
you to press him.

Some other time,
when I really need him.

Why is it everybody
always owes you a favor

and you never collect?

Look, are you
gonna talk or drive?

DISPATCH ( over CB ):
Unit 512, we have a 211-217.

2944 Columbus
Avenue. See the man.

Fifty-four rolling.

Columbus Avenue.
That's Charnovski's beat.

The Charnovski, your
old buddy? Uh-huh.

Well, let me ask you something.

When Charnovski was
breaking you in, did...?

Unit 12, Unit 44, proceed
code three to 2944 Columbus.

Two-seventeen-oh.

Two-seventeen-oh?

Somebody shot Gus.

Come on, move it.

( funky action theme playing )

( siren blaring )

( tires screeching )

He's a goner.

Like hell!

Now, you put him in that van,
and get it in gear and move it!

Come on. Come on.

Come on, stand back. Let them
get through, please. Stand back.

Get him in.

Listen to me.

Get the robbery detail

and have OIE report
to me at the hospital.

Pick up Stella Charnovski
and bring her too.

Mike, they said he's dead.

He's alive.

He's gotta be.

( sirens wailing )

Hold on, Gus.

Hold on.

If you're there, Gus, hold on.

This is Mike, Gus.

Now, you've got a hole in you.

It's not small.

But it's not big enough

to stop an old
harnessed bull like you.

Gus.

Gu...

You're alive, Gus.

You're in the trauma van.

Yeah... We're rolling
down Jefferson.

We'll have you on that
table in just three minutes.

You hear me, Gus?

And you give those
fellas an extra five,

and they'll fix you
up as good as new.

You know that, don't you?

Stell's on her way, Gus.

She's not gonna let you

get out of that trip
you promised her.

Hang in there, fella.

We're on the Embarcadero now.

Gus.

You're steamed, aren't you?

Huh?

You're steamed at
that punk who shot you.

Market. We just
crossed Market, Gus.

One more minute.

You hear me, Gus?

One more minute.

And then you'll take
a few days to recover.

And I'll wheel you
into that banquet room

in a wheelchair.

And then you'll pick up
your 30-year pin sitting down.

Bryant, Gus. Here
we are at Bryant. Gus?

Gus, it's your buddy.

Stell's on her way, Gus.

Potrero, Gus.

We're here, Gus.

Gus?

Gus, we're here. You hear me?

Here, doc.

Outside, Mike.

I stay. Sandy, give me a mask.

Outside, Mike!

Hold on, Gus.

Hold on, Gus. You hear me?

Now, let's move. This
man's going under.

Do you know Gus?

Just through Mike.

I gather they're
pretty close though.

To hear them tell
it, they're brothers.

You known Mike long?

Since I became a detective
about two years ago.

They go back 30 years.

They walked the
Tenderloin together then.

It's a rough part of town.

They worked dogwatch
six nights a week,

and you couldn't keep
them apart on the seventh.

They do miracles
with that trauma unit,

Mrs. Charnovski.

Really.

Thank you.

I just hope we
won't need a miracle.

Joe?

Stone.

Give me McCready.

NURSE (over speaker ):
Calling Dr. Westo. Dr. Westo.

Mac? Stone.

What have you got on Charnovski?

What do you mean nothing?

No, I won't take it easy.

Have you got Gus'
reports on your desk?

NURSE: Dr. Marsden.

Well, where are they?

Huh...

I know, but he knew
every punk in his district.

Who's he got heading
this robbery detail?

Yes, I...

I told him to report
to me at the hospital.

I don't care if I'm overstepping

my authority or not.

I want some action!

Well, he's alive.

He's hanging by a thread,

but... he's alive.

I heard what you did.

The... steward told
me he was a sure DOA,

but you kept him with us.

Oh, that's a lot of
baloney, and you know it.

Whatever happens,
happens in there.

I thank you for it.

Well, I think he heard you.

Mrs. Charnovski?

Yes.

He's not in good
shape, by any means.

He has a hole in him, and...

needs a lot of blood.

Will he live?

Well, he's... He's
responding, but...

I can't make any promises.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

( slow, brooding theme playing )

Oh, Mike.

I'll make you a promise, Stell.

No matter what happens...

I'll get that punk who did it.

Come on, sit down.

Let me get you a chair.

Take it easy.

Relax.

And if you need anything...

Steve will get it for you.

I'll be all right.

Where's Devitt?

He said he'd be here.

When? As soon as he could.

He's already had half an hour.

Mike... Mike, he's... He's here.

Hello, Mike. How is he?

Not good. What have you got?

Let's see.

Well, the suspect
is 5'10 ", 5'11",

weighed about 150, Caucasian,

approximately 30 years old.

Tan shirt, dark
trousers, dark shoes.

Entered the shop from the rear.

Pulled a gun on the owner
at approximately 4:40 p.m.

Wore a stocking
mask over his face.

Took $324, cash drawer,

and $110 on Beeman's person.

Officer Gustave Charnovski
entered the shop from the rear

approximately 4:45.

Suspect fired at the
officer and then he fled.

Beeman couldn't give us anymore.

No jewelry taken?

Well, then how did he get away?

The... back door,
the front door?

Run? Walk? Vehicle? How?

Still checking, Mike.

I've only got two men.

Well, no good, Roy.

What do you mean, no good?

You've got nothing. Come off it.

Come off it? I'm coming on it.

I'm taking this case.

Wait a minute...
This one's mine, Roy.

And don't say it.
Don't say a word.

Don't say that I'm
overstepping my authority.

And don't say that you've done
the best job you could so far,

because you did nothing.

A rookie cop could have
gotten more information than that.

Well, how much time
do you think we have?!

Let me tell you something, Roy.

If this punk gets away,
it's because you blew it.

Where do you come off anyway?

Somebody appoint
you commissioner?

If you don't like
what I'm doing...

Don't like it? That's right!

If you don't like
what I'm doing,

then you just file a complaint.

( intense theme playing )

( ominous funk theme playing )

( doorbell rings )

( doorbell rings )

MAN: Who is it?

Lieutenant Stone,
Homicide. Open up.

Can't it wait till tomorrow?

I'm not a young man. And
after what happened today...

What happened today might have

kept you from
getting any older...

if the best cop in the city

hadn't laid his
life on the line.

I'll just be a minute.

I told your Robbery
people all I know.

Where were you standing
when that punk came in?

Um... there.

Uh, facing this way?

Uh... Uh, no, uh...

And he came in through the back?

Uh, yes.

And you heard nothing?

Uh, sure I heard him.

I, uh... Uh, turned around
and, uh, there he was.

And what did he say?

Well, I, uh... I-I... I
don't remember exactly.

Oh, come on, think. Try.

Well, I think he, uh... Uh...

D... "Don't move, and," uh,
"don't reach for anything."

Then?

Uh, th-then he told me to,
uh... Uh, pull down the blind

and, uh, put up the closed sign.

How did he talk? Huh?

Did he have an accent
or anything like that?

Uh, uh... No. No.

Okay. Then what?

Uh, then... Then he
told me to stand there.

Where? Here?

Uh... And then
he took the money.

Who opened the cash
register? You or him?

Oh, h-he did.

How? Which finger?

Which finger?

Yeah. Which finger did he use

to open the cash register?

Uh, well, I-I...

I... I think it was this one.

Are you sure?

Uh, I think so. Right-handed?

Yeah. Yeah, you're right.

Because he shifted the
gun to his left hand, uh,

whi... While he took the money.

The money that you
had in your pocket,

how did he get that?

Well, he asked for
it, and I gave it to him.

How?

I put it in his hand.

Here, like this? Yeah.

Then you were close to
him? How about his breath?

Could you smell it?

Oh, I... I don't remember. I...

Booze. Maybe beer.

Tobacco?

No. No, no, I don't...

The mask. What about the
mask? What color was it?

I-I don't know.

Now, you're a married man.

You know about
women's stockings.

Now, what color was it?

Black, white, tan,
green, red? What?

Oh... Tan.

Light or dark? Uh... Uh, light.

And what about the
toe, and that, uh...

That band around the top?

How should I know?

All right, all right.

You say he was in a shirt?

Yeah.

Short or long sleeves?

Uh, sleeves? Uh... Long.

Shoes. Black or brown?

Uh... Uh, brown.

What kind? Lieutenant.

Come on, now.
What kind? Uh... Uh...

Well, uh, new... Like, mod-like
with, uh, brass buckles, uh...

All right, there's more
about the shoes. What?

Yeah, the, uh... The
toes seemed, uh...

Go on, go on. Scuffed.

Uh... Uh...

And the only
reason I noticed it,

it was like my kid's
shoes used to be.

Good, good. Now...
how about the brand?

Um, uh, Italian maybe.

Uh... Uh...

Square-toe, like they, uh,
show in the bootstrap shop.

Anything else?

His trousers, the pants.
They were baggy in...

In the knees. Uh...

Not as expensive
as the shoes. Uh-huh.

Oh, I didn't realize
I noticed so much.

Yeah, now... Mm-hm?

How did he walk?

Like an athlete or a lead foot?

Oh, uh... about average.

And his attitude?

Was he calm,
cocky, uptight? What?

Nervous.

He shot Gus, didn't he?

Yeah, yeah. Mustache?

No. No, no. No mustache. Uh...

Sideburns, uh, maybe. I think.

Good.

Good, Joseph.

Come on, let's get you home.

I hope I was of some help.

( music, chatter on street )

( intense theme playing )

How long ago did you
get the Charnovski slug?

Oh, hold. Just now.

In 15 minutes, I want
a make on that gun.

Figures. I better go now. Yeah.

Hey. Mike.

We gotta talk.

Okay. I'll run this
through the computer.

Fine.

Now, listen... No,
you're right, Roy.

I was way out of line.

But a policeman's
been shot. A brother.

And there's some
born scum out there

who's laughing
about it right now.

And I wanna see him nailed.

Yeah, I understand.

I just wanna make
sure that... the law...

stands by a man who
spent his whole life

trying to make it work.

Well, okay.

You call the shots.
And I'll tell Malone.

Thanks.

I'll see you in Stats.

You want some coffee?

Just black.

( typewriters clacking )

Wiley... the car.

Someone spotted a blue '69
Ford Coupe leaving the scene.

Now, get a make on
every registered owner

within a mile answering
that description.

Sharp, mug books
to the jeweler's.

At this hour of the night?

He's awake. I just left him.

Now, get the car witness

and anybody else
in the neighborhood

who may have seen anything,
and have them here at 8 a.m.

looking at the mug books.

Lessing.

I want you to...

check ballistics
against gun sales.

And, oh, yes. Pick
up six more men.

Recanvass the whole area.

There must be more eyewitnesses.

Right.

Here.

Thanks.

What do you want me to do?

Here, take this.

Check the hospital.

See how Gus is doing, will you?

( clicking cradle )

Oh, Mike. These
cards just came through,

so I've...

punched up a couple
dozen junkies, ex-cons,

and all-around losers
in the neighborhood.

We're checking everything, Mike.

Yeah, thanks. Mike!

Are you all right?

Mike, Gus is conscious.

Take it easy, Mike.

( tense theme playing )

I held on, Mike.

How you feeling?

Uh. Hurts.

Yeah.

How much did he get?

About 400 in cash.

No jewelry.

Hm.

He was 5'10".

Light hair.

Long.

A tan shirt. Dark trousers.

Dark shoes, scuffed at the toes.

.38 Special. He
was right-handed.

Listen. I just
wanted to make sure

you weren't trying to
walk out of here again.

Now, you take it
easy, you understand?

We'll talk about this later.

He has to live in the
neighborhood, Mike.

This was a
seat-of-the-pants operation.

A junkie?

He didn't... feel
like a junkie...

but... why else?

Why else would a
guy rip off $400 in cash

and not touch a
case full of jewelry?

Yeah.

That's for my noodle.

You got a trip to plan.

Take it easy now. Yeah.

Oh... Nurse.

Oh.

I'm sorry. Where
have you been? I...

I've been leaning on
that bell for five minutes.

Charnovski's hurting.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

I'll see to him right away.

My friend, you're blowing it.

Are you trying to
tell me something?

Yes, I'm trying to
tell you something.

Somebody's got...

Mike, how many times
do you try to tell me

that finding the
truth's a head game?

You gotta keep your
fists in your pocket,

your feelings out of the way.

Come on, let's go. Look...

Look, I'm with you.

Anywhere, anytime.

But I gotta know
what you're doing.

And what's more important,

you gotta know
what you're doing.

Now, this isn't like you, Mike.

I mean, you've
always got a plan,

some form of action.

Well, if you got one
now, let me know about it.

Don't just send me
off to run errands.

You're a bright boy.

Be bright enough to read me

and stay out of
my way on this one.

You're gonna do this alone?

Give me the keys.

Oh, Mike, come on.

Give me the keys!

( ominous theme playing )

You can only find
chicks like this at Coke's.

You gotta see
'em to believe 'em.

All right, honey, that's enough.

Your timing's fantastic, fella.

Show's just starting.

You gotta see 'em
to believe 'em, folks.

You can't see
'em on the outside,

you gotta go on the inside.

Say, fella, your
timing's fantastic.

Suslow? Eddie Suslow?

Lieutenant Stone.

I gave at the office.

How about going over to
my car and talking this over?

Some other time, okay, man...?

How about that liquor-store
holdup on 23rd and Folsom?

Okay, okay. And the supermarket?

I already told you guys
all I know about that.

Man, I get bounced
from this gig, what's left?

There was a robbery today.

Jewelry store
over by Ghirardelli.

I want the man who did it.

You got the wrong cat.

I know.

My man is 5'10", sandy hair,

sideburns, right-handed.

He used a .38 to cut down a cop.

Shot a cop?

He can't be all bad.

Okay. Take it easy.

Now you know what's
walking, running and crawling.

You know who's hard
up and who's holding on.

I want you on the street

with your ear to the pavement,

and I want the name of that
punk who pulled that trigger.

You just call me
every hour on the hour.

Or what?

You just be two minutes late.

I'll show you "or what."

Coke's is the place, folks.
The home of the blue movies.

You gotta see
'em to believe 'em.

You can't see from the outside,

you gotta step on
the inside, folks.

( funky theme playing )

( knock on door )

STONE: Jarvis.

Police.

What do you want
with me? I'm clean.

Where were you
at 4:45 yesterday?

Why? Because I'm asking.

You're not asking.
You're... Where?

You got no right
hassling me like this.

Then what are you hiding?

I told you, I'm clean.

You'd starve to death
trying to keep clean.

Open the closet.

What? Open it.

I just wanna see your wardrobe.

You wanna show me, right?

( ominous theme playing )

Now, where were
you at 4:45 yesterday?

And you better
have an airtight alibi.

You can't take nothing.
You got no right taking that.

Give me that gun.

Gun? I got no gun!

( funky action theme playing )

Hold it!

All right, over there.

Come on, get over
there! Come on.

( groans )

Hands down, feet
apart. Get 'em apart!

He's clean.

He's got three counts
of armed robbery,

and that junk
downstairs is a fresh buy.

Bring him here.

Come on. Go!

Come here! Move.

Mike.

I say you pay for
that with Gus' blood.

Let him go, Mike. Let him go!

Gus is all right. He's asking...

He's asking for you.

He's all right, Mike.

If you had your
radio on, you'd know.

Been trying to get
you for the last hour.

Gus is a...? Yeah.

He's...?

I got him, Mike. I got him.

All right. Put your
hands behind your back.

Get 'em behind your back!

( grunting ) I got him, Mike.

( handcuffs snap into place )

Hold him for me.

He's out of his
skull, that guy...

Let's go.

He was gonna kill me, man!

It was self-defense.

I could just see it
coming, you know?

You got a fresh score, huh?

I don't have to
say nothing to you.

What's with somebody
getting killed?

You're gonna try to
pin that on me too?

An officer was shot.

Cop.

Get up there. We'll
see if you get off.

You think I did it, huh?

The lieutenant does.

Well, he's wrong, man.
I never killed nobody.

He said something
about a time. What time?

Yesterday, 4:45.

Man.

Yeah, quarter to 5, I
can prove where I was.

I was with people.

Good. Who?

A bunch of guys. We
were throwing dice.

Where?

At a bar over on
Union, in a backroom.

That near Ghirardelli?

Yeah.

That's where the guy got
killed. Now, get up there.

No, man, come on, I'm leveling.

I never left that game, I swear.

Well, you better hope you can
get somebody else to swear...

or you're in a lot of trouble.

Come on.

Hi, Mike.

I hear he asked for me.

Hey. Buddy.

Gus.

No one asked for me?

No.

I'll be back in a few minutes.

But we're glad you're here.

Give us a minute.
Huh, Stell? Okay?

Sure.

You gotten anything?

I think so.

Good.

I'm not gonna make it.

Oh, come on now.

What are you talking about?

Truth.

Truth, Mike, remember?

What we spent our...

whole lives looking for.

I'm checking out.

Naw. Listen, Gus,
you're just tired.

No.

No.

Help, Stella, huh?

She...

She thinks she can
handle it, but she can't.

Funny.

You know, it...
It... It makes me...

feel easier some
way... knowing...

Help her, Mike.
She's a good woman.

Help her, huh?

Mike?

Oh, Gus, you... You... Oh, damn.

Oh, what happened
to the time, Gus? I...

I have so much I wanna say.

Yeah.

This... This guy you got.

You... sure he's the right one?

Well, I'm gonna find out.

Truth, Mike.

Remember... Truth.

That's the first thing
you taught me, Gus.

It's the last thing
I wanna forget.

( melancholy theme playing )

Get Stell.

Stell. Stell.

Lieutenant Stone,

we're holding a
call at the desk.

Thank you. Get
Dr. Ford in there.

Certainly.

Yeah. Stone.

KELLER: Mike. I
think we got something.

Jarvis?

No, no. He can
prove he didn't do it.

But his proof turns up some
names and maybe a motive.

Now, when Gus got it,
Jarvis was shooting craps

at a dive on Union
Street, five blocks away,

with six, maybe
eight guys, right?

Now, get this.

One of the guys was losing
big, he taps out and splits.

He comes back in less than
half an hour with 400 bucks.

What?

That's right, $400.

And the scuffed shoes...

Remember those scuffed shoes?

Maybe that
explains it. A roller.

He's on his knees, shooting.

And the time fits, 4:30 to 5.

What do you think?

Guy's losing big early,

needs more
money, he takes off...

Got a name?

Yeah. Fisher.

Cal Fisher.

You know him.

Mike?

Yeah.

I said you know him.

You busted him
once on an assault

with a deadly weapon.

So, what do you wanna do?

You want me to
wait for you here?

Listen, I got his address.

It's a boarding
house on Mariposa.

Just this side of the Slot.

Mike?

Yeah, sit tight.

( ominous melancholy
theme playing )

( funky theme playing )

KELLER: Sure.

No, I understand. Right.

Of course.

As soon as he comes
in, Mr. Suslow, I'll tell him.

( phone rings ) Right, okay.

Thank you.

Who's this, uh...? This Suslow?

Some guy Mike pumped.

And he must have
done a heck of a job,

because this guy
sounds off like an alarm

every hour on the hour.

Anything? Nothing.

What about that
name Jarvis gave you?

I gave it to Mike.

Well, but where is Mike anyway?

Don't know. He
should be here by now.

I called him at the hospital
about 20 minutes ago.

Gus Charnovski died
about 20 minutes ago.

Yeah.

Mike ever talk about Gus?

No.

Good cop, Gus.

Helped Mike Stone
be a good cop too.

What do you think it is

makes a guy stay on
the beat that many years?

Well, beat's the best
duty on the force.

If you're big enough
and strong enough,

and smart enough to hack it.

Charnovski hacked it.

Yeah. Mike comes in,

ask him to stick his
head in, will you?

I don't think he's
gonna come here, Roy.

Why?

Well, you know how
he's been acting, uh...?

And I know how I'd feel

if it was Mike they
just put under a sheet.

And I think I blew it,

because I just gave him
the name Jarvis told us about,

the guy we're looking for.

No, no.

No, he's too experienced.

He's not gonna
get himself wasted.

What's wasted if
he cuts down a guy

he should bring back alive?

Maybe you'd better
give me that address,

and you get rolling.

And I'll get backup.

That one.

( tense theme playing )

( funky theme playing )

( buzz )

MAN: Hello?

Mr. Garland?

Lieutenant Stone,
San Francisco Police.

Open the door, please.

( door buzzes )

( tense theme playing )

Get back in there.

( knocks )

It's open. Who's there?

Police, Mr. Fisher.

( suspenseful action
theme playing )

( brakes screeching )

Up there. Number five.

They were shooting.
But they're gone.

Uh, down the back
stairs to the alley.

Evans, stay here.
Ike. Get around.

( tires screeching )

Take the alley.

( tires screeching )

( engine rumbles )

( door creaks open )

( gasps )

You come with built-in radar.

( panting )

I could hear you running.

He's in here somewhere.

We have the next
couple exits sealed off.

( gun clicks )

( panting )

He's unarmed, Mike.

( gasps )

STONE: Fisher!

You just do that.

( Stone panting )

Get up here.

( tense theme playing )

Cuff him!

Let's go.

( funky theme playing )

( car starts )

How is she?

Okay.

That's gonna be tough.

She grew up tough.

Hey, what time you got?

Quarter to 1.

I'll blow us to a lunch.

Go over to Mama's.

I've got bread.

Aren't you the guy
who kept telling me

to know when to
call in my IOU's?

Yeah.

So, what have you got against

a good clubhouse sandwich?

Nothing. I just don't see you
owing me anything, that's all.

Maybe you're right.

I ought to make you pay

after that... con job
you pulled on me.

What are you talking about?

Gus wanting to see me.

Yeah.

( sighs )

You did all right.

You didn't lose your head.

It's a good thing too.

I guess I wasn't using
mine much, was I?

But you had a reason.

Nah. I was way off base.

Don't ever let me catch
you off base that far.

That's no way to operate.

You know...

there's one thing you've
always gotta remember...

Mike, if I let you buy me
lunch, can I skip the lecture?

Well, how are you ever
gonna learn anything?

( pats Stone's arm )

( upbeat theme playing )

( both laughing )

( funky theme playing )